Has this $1M winner broken 'Jeopardy!'?

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Speed read

What’s happening: James Holzhauer, a
34-year-old professional gambler from Las Vegas, has mounted
a in recent weeks on “Jeopardy!” during
which he has racked up more than over 21 games. He now owns the in “Jeopardy!” history, including the
single game record of $131,127.

Holzhauer employs an that breaks from the more traditional
approach of selecting the lower-value, easier questions that’s
been the norm for most contestants since the daily syndicated
show’s 1984 debut. He uses to take control of the board, then goes after
the highest-value questions first and bets big when he tracks
down a Daily Double, often building an insurmountable lead
before his competitors even get on the board. One competitor
described the experience as running “.”

Why there’s debate: Holzhauer’s success has
drawn a lot of attention to the show. as viewers flock to marvel at his mastery. But
his sheer dominance has sparked criticism too, with some
suggesting he’s sucking the competitive joy from the game and
charging that his massive leads undercut the thrilling tension
of tightly contested Final Jeopardy! rounds.

There’s also concern that the “Jeopardy!” budget may not be
able to sustain his massive payouts and any boost in the show’s
popularity will be offset by the sheer dollar amount Holzhauer
will reap before he ultimately loses.

What’s next: Holzhauer is rapidly approaching
the all-time regular season record of set by Ken Jennings, who gained national
acclaim during his run of 74 consecutive wins in 2004. At his
current pace, Holzhauer would reach Jennings’s total for
largest winnings during regular season play after just 35
games. With more than , Holzhauer is more than halfway there.

Perspectives

Night after night of one-sided games is bad TV

“This run represents a bit of a producing challenge. If every
episode is a blowout in which two of three contestants are
basically never competitive, does that not grow uninteresting
over time?” — Daniel D’Addario,

The spectacle of Holzhauer’s dominance is remarkable to
watch

“His precision with the buzzer, his instant recall, his
encyclopedic knowledge, his daredevil wagering — his dominance
is eerily superhuman. It’s as if Michael Jordan played hoops
with a jetpack. Or Wayne Gretzky fired pucks out of a bazooka.”
— Vinay Menon,

“I’m very excited. As a fan of the show, I’m actually rooting
for James or anybody who can take a swing at that record. It’s
bizarre to me that it’s still a one-off.” — “Jeopardy!” legend
Ken Jennings to Brian Barrett,

Paying out so much money could hurt the show
financially

“Typically, for a long-running show the prize budget is
determined by way of averages of what has been won in the past.
... James’s performance, I’m sure, is causing grief for an
accountant somewhere.” — Bob Boden, former head of programming
at Game Show Network, to Joe Pinsker,

Holzhauer is exactly what the internet water cooler
needed

“Does it matter if Holzhauer broke the show? After all, we’re
in an era where television is more fractured than ever. Big TV
events are increasingly rare, and it’s refreshing to have one
topic to discuss around the virtual water cooler of the
Internet ... and know what everyone is talking about without
being helplessly lost in a tangle of complicated storylines,
mythology and drama.” — Emily Yahr,

He broke ‘Jeopardy!’ and that’s a good thing

“Holzhauer has found a way to break the game, and rack up money
at a rate nobody has seen before. He might be the most exciting
game show participant of all time, and that alone has turned
‘Jeopardy!’ into the most anticipated show after ‘Game of
Thrones.’” — James Dator,

His bold style is inspiring

“His style and approach demonstrate that success is often the
product of taking chances in life. Not necessarily dangerous
risks, like walking a tightrope between skyscrapers — but
rather taking informed, calculated and yes, gutsy chances now
and again.” — Paul Batura,

The boost to ratings is overstated

“While Holzhauer’s historic run has given ‘Jeopardy!’ a decent
pre-upfront lift, his torrid streak has in no way brought the
show to the brink of a ratings record.” — Anthony
Crupi,

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